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| Posted: 30 May 2022 01:42 AM PDT TWO LETTERS MORE. After his first letter to president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last May 26, Crisologo V. Saavedra, who calls himself a whistleblower "in the last 19 years," wrote again to the president last May 28, then to Senator Imee Marcos, FM Jr.'s sister, last May 29. He provided Bzzzzz with copies of the letter.Saavedra ran and lost in his bid for mayor, finishing #3 out of four candidates, with 1,342 votes, compared to Mike Rama's 225,328; Margot Osmeña's 190,836; and Dave Tumulak's - 132,510.The defeated independent bet repeated his May 26 proposal: offering his services to fulfill his "promise to the people in Cebu to help resolve their problems where local politicians cannot because of corruption." He said he also wanted to continue his "support after campaigning" for the Marcos Jr.-Carpio tandem.MODIFIED REQUEST. This time though, Saavedra, apprised of the constitutional ban on hiring of losers within one year after the May 9 elections, said he could be consultant at the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas or OPAV for one year, then after that, become OPAV chief or head of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).He included in his second letter more photos of posters and streamers, purportedly displayed in Cebu to help the propaganda for the Marcos Jr.-Carpio tandem in the last election.Saavedra, who is credited principally for his role in going to court over the 2007 Asean street lamps scandal, imposed on himself the condition of solving corruption in one year or resigning from office. He didn't specify the scope: in the Visayas or OPAV area alone or in the entire country.2ND OPINION, CRIS'S FORMULA. Saavedra wanted Senator Imee's "second opinion" and "possible accommodation if found to be an asset" to the incoming administration. He also asked her to arrange a meeting with Marcos Jr. "as soon as possible" where he could present his formula against corruption, along with a letter of Saavedra's resignation in case the formula would fail.On his desire to work with the new administration, he said "it's not a payback"; he just would like to be "an asset" to the incoming president and vice president.D.O.T. SECRETARY. No other Cebuano has publicly disclosed his interest in a job under the new leadership. And from Cebu, only one has so far landed a high office under the Marcos Jr.-Carpio administration: Liloan reelected Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco.Frasco was rumored during the past few days to be the tourism secretary but didn't say anything about it before the appointment was announced Monday afternoon, May 30.***THANKS FROM BEA. Bea Osmeña, wife of Miguel Osmeña, only son of Tomas and Margot Osmeña, in a May 10 Facebook post, thanked "everyone who put in sleepless nights and sweltering days to help us get the message of hope and change across."She said her "dream of better programs for ours PWDs, most especially the children with special needs, and our solo parents, will have to take a different direction." But the Osmeña family "will continue serving the Cebuanos in our own little ways." It was an "exhausting but rewarding journey," she said. Bea landed #12 in an eight-seat race, with two other BOPK bets and a Barug bet between her and the #8 placer, Barug's Francis Esparis.LAST FB POSTS. A reader pointed out that Bea made the FB note while her mom-in-law Margot, who ran for mayor, and father-in-law Tomas, who led the BOPK campaign, still have to make a public statement since the results of the election showed BOPK lost and Barug won most of the seats again, now two local elections in a row.In their last FB posts, both on May 8: Margot publicized her "application" for the job of mayor and Tomas displayed graphics on election day guidelines -- and said he himself also received a phone message from BOPK to prospective election-day volunteers.***Tell us about it.[paseares1@gmail.com] |
| Posted: 29 May 2022 03:17 AM PDT CLOSE-IN AIDES. The key assistants to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama during his fresh term starting June 30 will not be new faces. They have been working with Rama for many years already.[] Engr. Suzanne Omandam-Ardosa, city administrator, was Mayor Mike's "overseer" at his office when he was vice mayor. In November 2021, when Rama ascended as full-pledged mayor upon the death of mayor Edgardo Labella, Ardosa replaced then city administrator Floro Casas Jr. Ardosa is a licensed civil engineer and holder of a master's degree in public management from the University of the Philippines Cebu.[] Atty. Dominic Diño, chief of staff, has been secretary to the mayor, since Rama's ascent to the top post last year. He worked previously as assistant city administrator during Rama's 2013-2016 term.[] Atty. Collin Rosell, secretary to the mayor, had assisted the mayor, mostly on his executive orders, during the past months when the pandemic and typhoons struck the city. Rosell campaigned with Barug, in alliance with Marino party-list, as second nominee. So far, Marino got only one seat; thus, the probable stint of Rosell as secretary to Mayor Mike.'SQUARE PEGS.' Mayor Rama will also push for the screening of casual and job order employees who are considered not re-employed unless their contracts are renewed on or before June 30. In a May 16, 2022 memorandum, they are required to submit an application letter and not report on July 1 unless their application is accepted.In an interview Saturday, May 28, with dyRC radio's Elias L. Baquero, Rama said the screening may result in reducing the number of casual workers at City Hall.During his stint as acting mayor, Rama had been pressing for the exact number of casuals and where they were assigned. The published numbers, as of May 24: 4,000 job order employees and 3,000 casual workers. To the eight categories of undesirables in his May 16 memo ("Kawatan, tapulan ug uban pa"), Mayor Mike last week added those who don't fit into their assigned work: "square pegs in round holes."'HOUSEKEEPING,' 'NOT RESHUFFLE.' He called the changes "mayor's prerogative." Rama's election rival, former city councilor Margot Osmeña, whom he defeated by more than 30,000 votes, called it part of "housekeeping" that City Hall, she said, was badly in need of.Rama said Rolando Ardosa will stay as chief of the Department of General Services. But, the mayor told dyRC's Baquero there will definitely be changes of names among some of the city's more than 40 departments. A reshuffle? He wouldn't want to call it that but the changes are needed, Rama said, to make City Hall more responsive on basic services and good governance and have chiefs he can trust.On political considerations, a day after his victory and a near-clean-sweep by Barug candidates, he won't consider "political color" won't affect his decisions, notably different from the "scorched-earth" policy of BOPK's Tomas Osmeña when he returned to City Hall in his 2016 drubbing of Mike Rama.CITOM, OSCA, JOY, GIMENEZ. Specific objects of the mayor's "serious" review, Mayor Mike said, would be the Citom board and CTO or City Traffic Office. The two agencies have been mentioned in recent public forums on the city's continuing problem of traffic congestion.The Office for Senior Citizen Affairs Office or Osca is appointed by the mayor with a three-year term, generally not renewable. Rama mentioned as possible new chief one "Inting Esmena" who, the mayor said, is a senior citizen, a requirement of the law.Atty. Josephus Gimenez, a former labor undersecretary, whom Rama announced last November 27 as his consultant, wouldn't be, starting July 1, an ordinary consultant but a "working consultant."Councilor Joy Pesquera, finishing the term of Councilor Dondon Hontiveros when he moved up to vice mayor late last year, was among the elected councilors for the south. She'll keep her post as chairperson of the city's Tourism Commission. But the city's tourism office will have a new chief, Rama said. |
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